Toothbrush



Patented June 19, 1945 A UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,378,641 'roo'rmmusn mnrlstian Risky, O swego, Oreg. Y Application December as, 1947s, serial No. 515,387

a anims.' (c1. 15-1s7l v This invention relates generally to the art of A further object is to provide a methodof ally cut la tooth downto brushing whereby the facial appearance of the brusher will be improved by the correction of abby muscles commonly present in people of advancing years.

A third object is the lproduction of a brush especially designed for insuring the proper inl clination of the bristles during the brushing operation, aswell as to so shape the contour of the work-engaging side of the ends of the bristles that they will vfollow closely into the depressions i and crevices between the teeth with a gentle and non-injurious action.

I accomplish these and other objectsin the manner set forth in the following specification as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the correct relationship between the teeth and bristles.

Fig, 2 isa view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the incorrect relationship between the teeth and bristles, and one which commonly exists.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a preferred form of brush.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line Fig. 3.

Fig. 6isacrosssectionofa handle.

Fig. 7 is modified form of ya cross section of .another modified form of handle.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of a modified form of brush,

Fig. 9 is an end elevation form of brush.

Before entering into vention, it is to be understood that brushing the teeth is perhaps one of the most important portions of the daily toilet and is often a most neglected and improperly performed. Relatively few people have any definite method or orderly procedure. Most people thorough job if they scrub the the teeth vigorously, often doing more harm than good.

of a further modified stroke might be an explanation of this infeel that they have done a.

vidual bristle contact the .exerted on the brush to Vof the blood in the direction of .brush In devising. my method for cleansing or brushingvof the teeth, I have focused my attention. on the principal element, namely the brush. The conventional brush, if notproperly used, can easily become an instrument of tooth destruction. A fast scrubbing stroke, for. example, can eventua nerve, especially at the gum margin. This is particularly true with soft teeth. Y

A tooth brush functions by having the indiparticle-of matter on the surface of -the tooth or gum and then dislodging it and pushing it 'ahead of the bristle until it loses contact and can be washed away.

The dental area being very irregular andfuil of crevices makes it diilicult to reach the bottoms of the crevices, due to the fact that the bristles are elastic or springy and can go into their-regularities or depressions only if the speed of the brush movement will permit the bristles-to `spring back'or recover after being bent. In other words, if the brush is stroked too fast, the bristles will bounce over the depressions much as a tire bounces over depressions in a roadway.- "If, on the other hand,- 'a slow stroke is used the bristles can spring into the depressions and crevices. In addition to the slow stroke itis necessary that the proper angle should be maintained. This is substantially degrees between the bristle and the line vof travel so as to allow the bristles to spring down and also so that-the bristle vwill not cut the tissues, either hard or soft, The proper likened to a correct paint brush should be sumcient pressure force the bristles sideways into the kdeep crevices, and also to compress the gum tissue suillciently to get a milking action travel, which the incisal or occlusal stroke and there should `always be toward edge. y

In order to provide a way of stimulating the oral circulation so as to get the blood to these areas, I have provided a novel form of tooth brush. Referring in detail'to the drawing, the same will be seen to consist of a handle Ill, whose bristle-bearing faces Il are substantially normal to veach other and parallel with the front sides I2 of the handle I0, the purpOSe being to enable the user to better direct the movements of the brush. l

The back I3 is preferably rounded or straight. It will be noted that the bristles Il are of substantially uniform length; making the tooth-engaging tips I5 parallel with the Vfaces Il.

It will be noted in Fig. 6 that the shape of the handle IIA is octagonal. Here again the sides Il would be parallel with the sides II, and in Fig. 'I the cross section of the handle IIB is square and the aides II are normal to each other, and of course normal to the sides II.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modiiied form of cross section of the brush holding element IIA, in which the rows of bristles HA are seated in steps Il.

In the form of the device shown in Fig. 9, the face I! of the bristle holding element IIB is straight, but the bristles HB are of varying length and the ones in the center are the longest, and those along the edge the shortest, the contour being the same as in the first described forms of the device.

It will be observed from the foregoing that when the brush is used it naturally falls into the correct position for a proper tooth brushing, owing to the ilattened handle sides I2, I I and l1, which are parallel with the brushing lines 20 of the brush. y

In the application of the brush it is oi course held and guided by the hand but it is actually used by causing the muscles of the face and tongue to provide. the impetus for the stroke. That is, the muscles of the lace move the brush during the exterior brushing and the tongue moves the brush during the interior brushing. The movement-is accomplished by merely inserting the brush by hand to the proper position and at the right angle and well up on the mucous membrane on the uppers o'r low on the lowers, and then causing the facial muscles to supply all the impulsion to move the brush down or up to the occlusai or incisal edges, as the case may be. When brushing the inner sides of the teeth, the tongue is used to provide the necessary movement.

as bearing portion, the outermost tips By the practice of my method and use of my brush, certain distinct advantages are gained. First, it stimulates circulation of the cheeks and face, bringing added blood to' the gum tissues, permitting the brush it improves the muscle tone in the face and on the jaws, giving the individual a firm muscle development o1 these members,

secting planes, said handle having longitudinal flattened faces along the hand-engaging portion thereof characterized by havin/gjlwo of said faces parallel with the planes of the bristle tips.

2. An elongated brush of the class described, having bristles trimmed to form a ridge of two normally intersecting planes extending longitudinally with said brush and having the bristle side of the handle provided with two normally intersecting faces parallel to the bristle faces.

3. A tooth brush lcomprising a lhandle and a brush head having the hand-engaging portion and the bristle bearing portion formed in two normally intersecting planes and having bristles of' uniform length extending from the bristle 0i the bristles 'occupying two normally intersecting planes.

CHRISTIAN KISKY.

to move the blood toward the terminal iissures in the gums. 

